Your accountant said "look into business finance" — here's what to do next

Plenty of owners hear the phrase in passing at the end of a quarterly meeting: “You might want to look into some finance.” Then the meeting wraps up, the accountant moves on to their next client, and you are left wondering what exactly they meant. This page helps you turn that throwaway line into a specific, sensible plan.

What did your accountant actually see in the numbers?

Accountants rarely suggest borrowing at random. Something in your figures caught their eye. The most common triggers are:

• A tax or BAS bill bigger than the bank balance. They can see the liability building in your ledger before it lands.
• Growth that is eating cash. Sales are up, but you’re paying wages and suppliers before customers pay you.
• Debtors stretching out. A large customer has moved from paying in 30 days to 60 or 90.
• A one-off purchase. Equipment, a vehicle, a fit-out or a business acquisition that would drain working capital if paid in cash.
• Seasonality. A predictable dip every year that leaves the account thin for a few months.

Each of these points to a different kind of finance. A seasonal dip suits a revolving line of credit; a large one-off purchase may suit a term loan; a sizeable need where you own property often suits a secured facility. That’s why the first job is to find out which number prompted the comment.

The five questions to ask your accountant back

Send a short email, or ask at your next catch-up. The answers do most of the planning for you.

1. What figure made you suggest finance? Get the specific line — a projected tax bill, the debtor balance, a cash flow forecast.
2. Roughly how much, and for how long? Even a range like “$60k to $90k for six months” is useful.
3. Is this a timing gap or a shortfall? A gap closes on its own when money comes in. A shortfall means the business is spending more than it earns, and borrowing won’t fix that by itself.
4. What would you want the loan to look like? Some accountants have a view on repayment size, term or whether property should be involved.
5. Are my lodgements and books up to date? Lenders lean on BAS, tax returns and bank statements. Knowing what’s current tells you how quickly you can move.

If you’d like a structured way to capture all this, our Link-up checklist builder produces a tailored list you can send straight to your adviser.

How do I match the need to a loan type?

Here’s a simple map of how the reason links to the kind of facility lenders usually consider.

What your accountant saw	Usual starting point	Documents that carry the most weight
Recurring cash dips	Line of credit or revolving facility	Bank statements, BAS history
Tax or BAS bill due	Short-term cash flow loan, or ATO payment plan	ATO account statement, recent BAS
Growth costs before revenue	Unsecured term loan or line of credit	P&L, debtors list, bank statements
Large purchase or acquisition	Term loan; secured if property is available	Quote or contract, financials, property details
Large need, owner has property	Property-secured business loan	Rates notice, mortgage statement, financials

Without property, an established trading business can usually explore roughly $5k to $500k, with the limit worked out from turnover and recent banking. With a house or commercial property behind it, the range is $20k to $5m, as a first mortgage, a second mortgage or a caveat. Our guide to how BAS links to cash-flow lending and the page on property equity and secured loans go deeper on each.

What if the advice was “look into it” but I don’t feel ready?

That’s a fair reaction. You’re not committing to anything by asking questions. A sensible order is:

• Understand the gap. Use your accountant’s figure, or build a simple forecast using the business.gov.au cash flow template.
• Check the alternatives. For a tax debt, the ATO may offer a payment plan. For a supplier bill, extended terms might be enough.
• Then test the market quietly. A no-obligation enquiry tells you what’s realistic without touching your credit file.

Waiting until the bill is overdue usually narrows your choices. Starting the conversation a few weeks before the money is needed gives you room to pick the right option rather than the fastest one.

Who should do the talking — you or your accountant?

You own the business and the decision, so the enquiry should come from you. But you don’t need to translate every figure yourself. Many owners start the enquiry, then authorise their accountant to answer technical questions about the financials. The page on letting your accountant talk to the lender explains how that authority works and what to share.

If your accountant would rather make the introduction themselves, they can — the same enquiry form is used, with a note that an adviser referred you. Our adviser referral guide walks them through it.

What happens after you enquire?

A real person reads your enquiry, not an algorithm that fires it off to a panel. They’ll call to understand the purpose, the amount, the timing and what documents already exist. If there’s a sensible fit, they explain which lender and which product suits, and what’s needed to move forward. If there isn’t a good fit, they’ll say so plainly.

Ready to turn the advice into an answer?

Your accountant has done the hard part by spotting the gap. The next step takes about a minute: tell us what your accountant flagged and what it’s for. There’s no credit check at this stage, your details are matched to one suitable lender rather than broadcast, and a specialist will call you to talk it through. Please answer the form as accurately as you can — amount, purpose, and whether property is involved — so the first match is the right one. When you’re ready, start the 60-second enquiry.